Flexible tube for endoscope and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A flexible tube for an endoscope comprises: a spiral tube including a band-shaped plate which is spirally wound; a braid which covers an outer circumferential surface of the spiral tube; and an outer skin made of a resin, which covers an outer circumferential surface of the braid, wherein the braid includes metal fibers deposited with a release agent and heat-resistant resin fibers deposited with a bonding material, the metal fibers and the resin fibers are blended in a mesh pattern, and the braid is bonded to the outer skin by the bonding material.

1. A flexible tube for an endoscope, comprising:
 a spiral tube including a band-shaped plate which is spirally wound; 
 a braid which covers an outer circumferential surface of the spiral tube, the braid having a structure in which metal fibers deposited with a release agent and heat-resistant resin fibers deposited with a bonding material are blended in a mesh pattern; and 
 an outer skin made of a resin, which covers an outer circumferential surface of the braid, 
 wherein the resin fibers of the braid are bonded to the outer skin by the bonding material while the metal fibers are not bonded to the outer skin due to the release agent. 
 
     
     
       2. The flexible tube according to  claim 1 , wherein, of the metal fibers and the resin fibers which are included in the braid, only the resin fibers are bonded to the outer skin through the bonding material. 
     
     
       3. The flexible tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the braid has a single-layer structure. 
     
     
       4. The flexible tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding material deposited on the resin fibers have a weight equal to or larger than 10% of a weight of the resin fibers. 
     
     
       5. The flexible tube according to  claim 1 , further comprising a coat layer which covers an outer circumferential surface of the outer skin.